Latest from CPRE Rutland

25 January 2011     Extract from a report to CPRE East Midlands regional group 

Rutland was included in the new Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP, approved in November by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

Rutland Core Strategy submission document

We submitted our comments on the above on 10 November 2010, strongly supporting the preservation of the southern approach to Oakham and allowing no development in this area. We said that if, as proposed by the previous Government, a substantial number of houses needed to be built in Rutland, we would support their being situated largely in Oakham and Uppingham, with the greater number in Oakham, Again if it should be necessary, we agreed that the area to the north-west, between the old A606 in Barleythorpe and the by-pass, should be the preferred location. We were strongly opposed to any housing development beyond the by-pass.

However, we felt that much thought should be given both to the number and type of homes needed.

The proposed development in Rutland of 3,000 new dwellings between 2006 and 2026 (1,930 when existing completions and commitments are taken into account) strikes us as far in excess of what will be required by the Rutland population, There is limited employment in Rutland and for this reason housing, if built, should be in areas where easy commuting is possible.

In December 2010 the draft document was submitted by the Council, with only minor alterations, to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for examination together with the public comments. Those who have submitted comments have been informed that the Secretary of State's representative will be holding hearing sessions from 21-25 March. It is perhaps encouraging that the first question he is to ask is what evidence the allocation of 1,930 new dwellings is based on.

Hawksmead development

We have written to Rutland County Council expressing our concern over the lack of information at present available to the public about a development project put forward by Hawksmead Ltd. This includes provision for 1,096 new dwellings, a prodigious number for the one site. They claim 15% will be affordable - a reduction on the usual 35% requirement because government funding has been withdrawn.

It seems extraordinary that the Council has revealed so little of a matter they have apparently been discussing with Hawksmead for some 6-7 years. It is understood that an application for outline planning permission is under consideration and is due to be heard on 24 January., but it is apparently being allowed less public scrutiny than even insignificant applications usually get.

Planning Application for 112 Dwellings in Uppingham Road, Oakham

The developers, Jeakins Weir, have appealed their planning application (to which we strongly objected in October 2010), on grounds of "non-determination". This means that it will never be heard by any planning committee or the full Council in Rutland, although CPRE National Office advises us that in such cases anyone who commented on the original application should be contacted by the Planning Inspectorate and asked whether there are any further comments they would like to add.

Ashwell Prison

It was announced this month that Ashwell Prison is to close by the end of March because it would be too expensive to rebuild following the fire there in 2009. After the announcement last year of the closing of RAF Cottesmore in 2013, this is a further blow to local employment prospects.

Advertising

We are making a start on advertising CPRE and membership in Rutland parish magazines. These offer excellent population coverage without being too expensive. It is also good to support such local publications.

Edited by Fiona Cowan
31 January 2011